enkosha,” which refers to distant relatives or difficult-to-describe relations.Under the law, Japanese nationals are not allowed to change their gender during marriage, since it would transform the union into a same-sex marriage, which is not allowed in Japan.But McCready’s case is unique in the sense that the government could not prohibit her gender transition due to her being a foreign national, the lawyers said.If McCready’s case is not recognized as marriage, the pair might be denied spousal benefits related to the national health care program and pension, or experience bureaucratic problems due to document mismatches, Yamashita said.In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than.